This week I’ve decided to try my hand at the Baden Powell Trail, specifically the portion from Deep Cove to Lynn Canyon. It’s the perfect length to break up the Wednesday doldrums and have you home for dinner. Coming in at about 12 km with mild to moderate elevation gain, popular opinion online indicates I’m in for about a 5 hour trek.

Being a relatively short (day) hike there isn’t too much to pack however I will be bringing a small rucksack with some of the essentials. Water, a light snack, bug spray and a notebook all make the cut. Before setting off, I’ll smear on the sunscreen and be sure to dress in layers. It’s been a strange May this year, I may well freeze when I set off and roast by the time I tuck into my turkey pepperoni and cheese snack.

Getting to the trailhead seems reasonably easy and simply plugging ‘Baden Powell Trailhead’ into Google Maps provides pretty detailed instructions. Though some online sources cite that this is a ‘Transit Friendly’ trail I’m going to suggest this is a bit optimistic. Arriving via bus will drop you about 2.4 km away from the trailhead. Okay, so tacking on an additional 2.4 km to an already 12 km hike still seems doable- the issue here is that this portion of the trail is not a loop. That’s 2.4 km to the trailhead, 12 km on the trail and the option of turning around and doing it all over again or arranging someone to pick you up at the end point. Personally, I’m going to splurge and phone a cab to drive me the 15 minutes from the end of the trail back to my apartment (I only go on the most rugged of adventures…).

I feel properly researched, excited by the forecast and will probably have an extra glass of wine tonight with dinner-yay hiking, burn those calories! More to come tomorrow #WATW.